"This story is a total fabrication 100 percent not true," commented EA corporate spokesman Jeff Brown.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/37618/Develop-source-New-Xbox-console-on-desks-at-EA
Eurogamer
http://www.develop-online.net/news/37618/Develop-source-New-Xbox-console-on-desks-at-EA
Rob Crossley said:Develop source: New Xbox console on desks at EA
New system could steal Wii 2s thunder with shock E3 reveal
The successor to the Xbox 360 console is on desks at an unnamed Electronic Arts studio, Develop understands.
The new hardware, sent to EA last month, is a very early build with no casing it is in fact being stored inside a PC shell.
EA developers are getting to grips with the tech to create first-generation software, Develop has been told.
Quite often when new consoles come around theyre packaged into a PC shell, but actually whats inside is an entirely new console, a senior, trusted, well-placed said.
Microsoft has declined to comment. EA has declined to comment. Develops source is not employed at either company.
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The source believed, but did not have certain information, that the new Xbox would launch by the end of 2012. The individual expects an announcement will be made, at least in some form, at E3.
SHOW TIME
In March, new data revealed Microsoft was at the early stages in building the successor to the Xbox 360.
The platform owner had advertised new job vacancies such as Graphics Hardware Architect and Performance Engineer for the Xbox Console Architecture Group.
Microsofts new hires will be responsible for defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation, the company said.
The language of the job vacancies suggested a reveal for the console is years away, but Develops source says a shock reveal could be weeks away.
Why let Nintendo steal the thunder in June [At E3]? It doesnt want to lose momentum. Thats why I think Microsoft is rushing to make an announcement at E3.
It leads to suspicion that key next-gen projects are underway at Microsofts own internal studios. Some project names Develop has seen would suggest a change of guard.
NEXT GENERATION
Specifications for the device are not available, for now. Develop understands that the hardware will feature enhanced support for Kinect with just a couple of alterations.
[...]
Kinect will keep the 360 going for a couple of years, but Microsoft knows that if it slows down now it will face trouble, the source added.
Eurogamer
Robert Purchese said:Eurogamer understands that an E3 2011 reveal for Microsoft's next Xbox is highly unlikely.
Our respected source poured water on Develop's report that some kind of announcement will happen next month at E3.
Develop's report also mentions that EA already has development kits for the new console. To a untrained eye, these apparently look like PCs. But inside are apparently the components of Microsoft's next Xbox.
Prototype dev kits typically are PCs inside a PC box: the first Xbox 360 developer tools were based on dual core G5 PowerPC Macs with an ATI X800 GPU while the initial PS3 dev kits were based around a PC with two GeForce 6800 Ultras running in SLI.
The Develop source believes the new Xbox could launch as soon as the end of 2012.
No technical specifications for the new console were given.
EA and Microsoft both declined comment.